Hyundai Group to trim Sonata, K5, Stinger in U.S.



(May 26, 2022) Just as people's interest in sedans is on the upswing because of high gas prices according to Kelly Blue Book's Brand Watch shopping considerations for the first quarter, Hyundai Motor Group has announced that it is discontinuing the long-running Hyundai Sonata as well as Kia K5 and the Kia Stinger.


This according to a Korean publication.

"It's likely the sedan will get one more refresh in 2025 but will not live past 2027 or 2028," said Jesse Toprak, chief economist for Autonomy, as told to Automotive News.

The Asan plant in South Korea where the Sonata is produced has stopped building it in favor of the Ioniq 6 midsize electric sedan. Hyundai also has said its assembly plant in Montgomery, Ala., where the Sonata is built stateside, will undergo upgrades for electrification.

Kia's midsize sedan, the K5, formerly the Optima, shares the same platform with the Sonata and will likely be phased out as well. Another Kia sedan, the rear-wheel-drive Stinger, will likely be cut in the coming months. According to a source close to the subject, Kia will stop building the Stinger after this quarter. The forthcoming Kia EV6 GT will fill the void in the lineup, said the source.

While the Stinger is a niche model for Kia, it has remained popular — U.S. sales rose 10 percent to 4,002 through April.

Source: Automotive News